The energy & sustainability market for buildings has evolved significantly over the past ten years. Energy performance, operational efficiency and sustainability solutions for buildings and infrastructures of such buildings are important topics nowadays. Building owners and building operators are striving to achieve sustainability, energy-consumption and cost-reduction targets, while facing: resource and capital constraints, lack of internal in-depth energy knowledge, aging infrastructure, and constantly changing energy market.
International patent application WO2010141601A2 provides methods for integrating multiple management domains based on sensed conditions received from multiple management domains and furthermore displaying information indicative of the sensed conditions and actions related to consumable resources.
The management of energy is the combination of actions taken to maximize energy efficiency and optimize energy supply without sacrificing occupant needs and comfort. To achieve these building performance goals, actions may include reducing end use, increasing efficiency, eliminating wasted energy, finding alternative energy sources and minimizing procurement costs. Energy management also involves managing the availability of energy and its long-term financial impact. This often includes the strategic selection of alternative energy technologies and facility location. When no energy management strategies are in place, consumption remains unchanged and energy prices are left exposed to market variability and uncertainty. As a result, the organization incurs higher operating costs and risk.